At Definitive, we believe that every great piece of HiFi carries not only sound, but also the story of the people and vision behind it. That is why we’ve created The Definitive Q&A Series: Beyond the Music. In each conversation, we sit down with our Pillar brands to uncover what inspires them, what drives their pursuit of perfection, and how they continue to shape the future of listening. These are not just products — they are the expressions of mastery, artistry, and dedication that define the world’s finest audio.
And this year, as part of our 50th anniversary celebration, we are bringing everything we’ve got — together with our partners — for what will be our biggest and most ambitious event yet. Pillars of HiFi will be a rare chance to hear, learn, and connect with the legends shaping the sound we love.
Reserve your spot HERE
Now we head off to a brand we have been working with for over 4 decades, Linn. We are diving into the passion and expertise of Linn with Gilad Tiefenbrun, CEO of Linn.
On the Edge of Innovation
What’s the idea or product you’ve made that you know changes the game… the one that, when people hear it, they just stop talking and start listening?
The Linn 360 loudspeaker. Every time you hear it, you can’t believe you can get that level of performance from an integrated speaker. I’ve owned my pair for over a year, yet every time I listen I’m startled by what I’m experiencing. Even if it’s a piece of music I know well, I’ll hear details that I’ve never heard before.
When you’re building something new, what’s the obsession? What’s the thing you can’t let go of until you solve it?
My obsession is people, because behind every great product or innovation are great people. The key is to give creative people space to do their best work. My job at Linn is to lead a culture of high performance, continuous process improvement and teamwork that supports creativity. I love it when people grow, learn, do things better and fulfil their dreams.
Roots & Origin Stories
Every company has a spark… a moment where it almost didn’t happen, but did. What was yours?
My father Ivor Tiefenbrun, Linn’ founder, was not intending to start a hi-fi company. But when he was disappointed with the sound of the hi-fi he bought for his first marital home, he started to experiment with how he could improve it. His “Eureka!” moment was when he took the turntable outside the living room and ran the cables under the closed door – the sound improved dramatically. He realised that he had cut out a feedback loop from the output of the speakers, which shouldn’t have been happening. From there, he began the design of a turntable from first principles that would be immune to acoustic feedback, focussing on extracting the maximum information from the groove of the record. He realised that information lost at the source never came back, no matter how good the amplifiers or speakers. And so, the Sondek LP12 turntable was born, and he started a company – Linn Products – in order to manufacture it.
What’s a piece of your company’s DNA that’s been there since day one… and still shows up today?
Whilst Ivor was pleased with the performance of his turntable in 1973, he was aware that technology would improve over time, so he designed the Sondek LP12 in a modular, upgradeable way. As a result, it still sells today, 53 years later, with dozens of improvements that continue to get even more information from the groove of the record. Anyone who bought a Sondek LP12 from 1973 onwards can have it fully upgraded to 2025 specification and get more from their records. We try to incorporate this upgradeable ethos into all our products today.
For example, our Selekt DSM digital streamer, first launched in 2018, can now be configured with three choices of DAC performance, two levels of chassis, offers the options of internal phono stage, pre-amplifier, surround processing and power amplifiers. It even has an internal digital Exakt crossover that can be used to take our speakers fully active. When we develop new technology, we make it available to Selekt DSM owners in the form of modular upgrades, just as we’ve been doing all these years with the Sondek LP12.
Why Definitive Matters
Do you remember the first time your gear ended up in a Definitive room? What did that feel like?
I’m too young to remember! Linn has been working with Definitive for much longer than my 22 years in the business. I do remember my first visit to Definitive, though. I was blown away by the place. The standard of demonstration and customer service is world class. We have built extremely close relationships between the Linn and Definitive teams over decades. It is a very, very special partnership.
What is it about this partnership that actually means something to you… not just business, but the way people experience it?
In practice, this means we communicate and share information regularly. We ensure that we are working together on behalf of customers, to give the best possible results. Both Linn and Definitive think long term; it’s about fostering long relationships that work for customers today and into the future as people’s lives grow and evolve, so their hi-fi system evolves with them and their families.
The Human Side
What’s the funniest or weirdest thing you’ve ever seen someone do with your product?My 5-year-old nephew was using my brother’s $20,000 Linn CD player as a piggy bank. He just loved the satisfying “clunk” it made every time he placed a coin onto the CD tray and pressed it closed.
If there was one fact about your company that would surprise people… the kind of thing they’d tell someone later… what would it be?
The thing that surprises people when they visit the factory is how advanced it is. The thing that captures visitors’ imaginations most is our unmanned automated vehicles that take raw materials to our operators so they can each build a full product from start to finish – a process we call Single Stage Build – and take the finished products away to be shipped to customers.
Music That Moves You
One album… one artist… the moment you hit play, it all comes alive. Who is it? Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On. It’s a masterpiece – melody, lyrics, musicianship – that never ages.
What’s the record that’s the time machine for you… takes you right back the second it starts? Document by R.E.M. and License to Ill by the Beastie Boys were both released when I was 14 and those were the first gigs I went to with my friends. There was a certain intensity to life at that time that floods back when I play those records now.
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Beyond the Music: A Definitive Q&A with CH Precision